


Long Cool Woman

by ObeyDontStray



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Detectives, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:35:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24712450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObeyDontStray/pseuds/ObeyDontStray
Summary: From a writing prompt request from Discord!Detectives Jim Hopper and Joyce Byers are working on a case, working under the guise of being married. But...will that lead to more?
Relationships: Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	Long Cool Woman

"We had a reservation under Stephens. Mr. And Mrs." Jim said, sneaking a glance at Joyce. Her eyes were wide, her cheeks ever so slightly tinged with pink. He wanted to gloat about it, but he couldn't break character now. 

Once the key to their hotel room was in hand, Jim gathered their bags and started them off to their room.

Joyce reached out to take her bag but he refused help. "I've got your bag honey, don't worry about it."

He swore he could hear her nervous breathing. "Relax, detective Byers. It's only a cover." He whispered casually. "Stay in character." 

Once in the hotel room they were able to shrug off the luggage and their cover. 

"If it makes you too uncomfortable, I can make the pet names minimum." Jim volunteered as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "No it doesn't, it's just...no one has called me those kind of things in years." He reached over and took her hand, running his thumb over her hand. 

Joyce gripped his hand tightly. 

"So who is this guy? You know I'm totally the wrong person for this. I'm not a smooth talker, I'm not flirty."

"Listen, you are hot. All you have to do is convince him to come back to this room and I'll be hiding right in here, ready to spring on him." 

"So you expect me to flirt with someone who I know is a convicted rapist?"

"I know it's hard...but you know you'll have another officer hiding at the bar and will follow at a safe distance. Then once you get here, I'll be here." 

The night wore on and Joyce dressed up prettily. 

When she exited the bathroom she caught Jim's eyes and his breath caught. She was dressed in a swanky little burgundy dress and black heels. Her hair was up in an elegant updo. She turned her back to him. "Can you give me a hand?"

He approached her and took the zipper, making sure his fingers grazed up her spine as he zipped it up.

Her skin prickled with heat and she looked over her shoulder at him, unspoken words on her lips. 

She moved away and reached for a beautiful ruby necklace, which she asked to be fastened for her. 

Jim swallowed hard, wanting so badly to kiss her slender neck, behind her ears, across her jaw. He clasped the necklace and smoothed his hands along her shoulders.  
She turned to look at him with a small smile. "You're awfully touchy feely today." A small smile tugged at his lips. 

"Joyce I…" She waited for what he had to say, and she knew it wouldn't be easy for him to. "They made me wait in the room for you because they knew I couldn't tail you two. They know I'd kill him if he even looked at you." 

"We aren't even partners, Jim. Not lovers. Just friends."

He nodded. "What if...what if I told you I wanted to be more than friends?" She looked up at him with those big brown eyes, shining like chocolate in the light. "Do you mean that? It took me endangering myself to make you realize that?"

"No." He replied. "I realized it when calling you honey felt so easy and natural. And when you came out of that bathroom and all the air left my lungs, you look so beautiful." 

She lay her palms flat against her chest and kissed his cheek. "I think we might have to investigate these feelings a little bit." She said, grinning broadly at her own joke. "Nope, never mind. I wanna see someone else." He teased and she lightly punched his shoulder.

This was such a hard thing to do. Everytime the guy looked at her, everytime he smiled at her, all she could see was the girl whose picture lay in the file back at Jim's office. The poor girl barely holding in tears. The bruises and cuts on her body. 

In her mind she thought of Jim's touches earlier. His beautiful blue eyes. Damn...where were these feelings coming from all of a sudden? It was like he had broken the floodgate of feelings between them. The thoughts made it easier for her to smile. The scumbag clearly thought they were for him, but they were her happy heart centered on Jim.

This man was very clearly happy with talking about himself and Joyce glanced at the watch in her bag. It was getting late, and it was fifteen minutes past when she should have gotten him in the room. She knew that Jim would be on edge. 

On edge he was, as he paced the hotel room. He contemplated going to the bar himself. The tailing cop, Dave, wouldn't let anything happen to her, right? 

Soon there were voices outside the door and he picked up the sound of Joyce' laughter. It was forced and uneasy. He hid by the door and tried to make himself invisable. 

Joyce entered the room, holding it open for the man. She briefly looked up at Him and saw the look of disgusted aimed at the subject. The man was totally in the room and turning to shut the door when he saw Jim. "What the-?"

Joyce slammed the door shut as Jim quickly shoved the guy against the wall and cuffed him. In his surprise, the guy didn't even try to fight. 

The tailing cop knocked, having been right behind. A few more cops appeared right behind and Jim passed the target over to them. As he was hauled away he called out curses, calling Joyce names. 

Jim pulled her in close for a hug. "Are you okay? I was so worried when you were late!" "Oh he thought I should know everything about him." She laughed. 

"Only way I could get through that was thinking about what you admitted earlier." He looked at her with a warm expression. "We're wearing these fancy dudes, what do you say we blow this joint and go somewhere fancy and eat?" 

She smiled back. "I think I'd like that."


End file.
